The Ritual
by Obscurity Within Mercy
Summary: Perhaps, all those years ago, it hadn't been the best idea to become blood brothers after all. AmeCan. Rated T for angst.


**Oh look, something that's not from Kuroshitsuji! But Hetalia is awesome, it was coming eventually. **

**Warnings: Maybe a bit OOC? They're countries, they're hard to write. Bittersweetness at the end (eh.. kind of). **

* * *

From the very start, America and Canada were extremely close.

Matthew could still remember back to when they met. They were just little kids back then, not even countries yet. They were only small colonies, and all they had in the world at that time was each other. Matthew was the smaller of the two, and was more easily frightened. Alfred promised to always protect him, no matter what. After all, that was what heroes did!

Matthew never complained.

Eventually, they were taken into England's house. Both very happy at the beginning, because they were still together, and now they had someone to care for them. In Arthur's care, they were exactly like brothers.

"Hey, Mattie?" Alfred called into the darkness of their shared room one night.

"Yeah, Al?" Matthew called back.

America sat up to look at the other figure huddled in his bed. Matthew was still scared of the dark, and would sneak from his bed to the other's at night. Alfred didn't mind though. Being close to the smaller colony meant he always knew he was safe. "We should become brothers."

Matthew blinked open bleary eyes to look up at Alfred, confused. "Aren't we already brothers?"

"Not real, blood brothers, though!" Alfred's eyes glinted in excitement. "I think we should become blood brothers!"

"How?"

"It's simple, really," the bigger of the two explained. "We both prick our finger with a pin, enough so that blood comes out. Then we press our fingers together so that our blood mixes. That makes us blood brothers!"

Matthew blinked up at his 'brother' in wonderment. "We can be real brothers?"

"Yep!" Alfred grinned. "Will you do it?"

The smaller nodded.

The following night, after Arthur had put them to bed, they performed the ritual. "This will hurt slightly," Alfred warned as he held the pin to Matthew's finger. Soon, a bead of blood appeared at the tip. Matthew did the same to Alfred, including the warning, to which the other boy responded with, "I'm the hero, I can take anything!" Even so, he flinched slightly when the pin pierced his skin. They pushed their fingers together, and it was done.

Later that night, Alfred spoke out again. "Hey, Mattie?"

"Hmm?"

"Now we will always be brothers. Nothing can separate us." Alfred smiled at the thought.

Matthew nodded, and smiled as well.

* * *

After that, they were always brothers. As children, they were rarely found separate. It wasn't until they became teen years that things changed. America was getting restless under England's rule, and Canada felt helpless to stop the explosion that was sure to come from that restlessness. Sure enough, along came to American Revolution, and Matthew wondered what would happen if Alfred became independent. Would they still be brothers?

The nation in question answered that one night when he snuck into the room the two used to share.

"Don't worry, Mattie. We made a promise, remember? No matter what happens, I will always be your brother."

America did the same thing during the war of 1812. He said the exact same words, right before trying to over-take Canada's lands. Matthew wanted to feel hurt, but Alfred was his blood brother, ever since that day long ago. Despite this, Matthew knew they would always be brothers.

Their relationship in the years following was delicate, but they got along well enough. Sometimes, Alfred would once again assure Matthew that he would always be his brother, and whenever the younger heard that, he was comforted.

* * *

Once again, things changed between the two. It started during World War II. Fighting for the same cause, they fought closely together. It brought their relationship closer as well. By the end of the war, they were as close to each other as when they were still children, no more than colonies.

Then the Cold War happened, and America and Canada became even closer, as allies, and, perhaps...

It was night again. The Cold War was over, and Canada was left with the feelings America had stirred within him during their time spent together recently. He knew something had changed about his feelings for Alfred, and it scared him a bit. For some reason, he could not stop thinking about his southern neighbour.

Canada sat up suddenly from his bed, his cheeks growing warmer. He... he... he couldn't believe it. It was like he was in love with America. But... his cheeks grew even warmer, and his heart beat sped up merely at the thought. He was in love with his brother. But they were brothers. He fell back onto his pillow groaning. He didn't even seem to remember that they were only blood brothers by ritual, not by birth.

When he saw America the next day, he found he couldn't look at the other nation with his cheeks growing warmer. America seemed oblivious though, as he kept trying to approach the other without noticing the obvious discomfort. It wasn't until Alfred had Matthew cornered in a normally unused room that he noticed something was wrong.

"Hey, Mattie, what's the matter?" Alfred asked concerned.

"I... Um, I..." Matthew bit his lip, before looking at his shoes. "I think I'm in love with you," he whispered softly, hoping Alfred didn't hear.

"Hmm?" Alfred had heard, but he wasn't sure he heard correctly. "Did you just say you're in love with me?"

Matthew nodded, tears filling his eyes. "I know. It's disgusting."

The statement took the other country aback, making him unsure of what to say for a the first time in a long time. Finally, he settled on, "Disgusting? You find it... disgusting?"

"Of course! You're my brother! I'm... in love with my own brother." The tears in his eyes began streaming down his face, and he couldn't hold them back no matter how hard he tried."

"What...? Mattie, I-"

Matthew just shook his head violently. "No, don't say it. Please. It already hurts too much." With that, the younger country pushed past America to run into the hallway, soon disappearing down the corridor, the tears still streaming down his face.

* * *

Alfred wasn't sure how long he just stood there in shock. It could have been seconds, or it could have been days. Either way, he felt himself fall to his knees as he fought his own tears back.

Perhaps, all those years ago, it hadn't been the best idea to become blood brothers after all.

If only Alfred had known, back then, that the little ritual would stop him from ever becoming anything more with Matthew. No matter how much he wished he could become so, so much more than just a brother.

* * *

**AN: Nope, no Kuroshitsuji today. Sorry guys. But hey, I updated After 126 Years only a couple days ago, so I'm allowed. **

**I'm surprised by myself, a bit. I would have thought my first Hetalia fic would be FrUK, since I shipped that couple first. AmeCan came later. But, I was inspired by a line in another fic I read today (So maybe it wasn't the best idea to become blood brothers. -100 themes maple burger written by Define-Sanity) and even though the fic really had nothing to do with what I wrote here, that line immediately put this little situation into my head, and I had to write it. Yeah. **

**Not very Fourth of July-y, considering I kind of brought America emotional turmoil at the end there, but I'm Canadian. So, although I wish all you Americans a happy Fourth of July, I'm not celebrating. Still, to those that are, once again, happy Fourth of July! **

**I also had no idea what to call this thing. So yeah, title probably sucks. **


End file.
